After all, I grew up in Texas. Normal meals for us were beef, potatoes, a canned vegetable and fruit cocktail in syrup. (My sister and I used to fight over the cherry.) Breakfasts were usually a a sugar cereal and milk, and lunches were a baloney and cheese sandwich complete with chips and a fried pie. The idea that I didn't need beef or milk and that fresh fruits and vegetables should be the staple of my diet was a completely new concept.

Little did I know that the ideas she introduced me to would eventually lead to a vegan lifestyle, yoga, minimalism and the other holistic practices that now so shape my life.

I recently ran across an article Marilu wrote in the Chicago Sun Times on changing normal and it occurred to me how much I wanted to say "thank you" to her.Sometimes the simplicity of a person sharing their journey can completely change the journey of others. I'm so grateful she wrote about hers and changed mine.